佛言：当断一切肉
中英文连载
《The Right View》(144)
《WHY VEGETARIAN?》
《素食的意义》
At the time when I was still eating meat, I would stop that whenever I went to the Han Chinese regions because of the easy access to abundance of vegetables there. I found no reason to eat meat at all. If there is concern for insufficient nutrition, dietary supplements are always available. Therefore, I hope everyone will make an effort to be vegetarian whenever possible.
以前我吃肉的时候，到内地就不想吃了，因为有许许多多的蔬菜，吃那些就够了，根本没有必要吃肉。如果说营养不够，也有办法弥补。希望大家以后都能吃素，并尽量动员他人吃素。
Buddhist practice is something that should be undertaken step by step. As ordinary people, we cannot hope to reach certain stage in our practice，say，accomplishing the path of accumulation，in an instant or an hour. So, the right thing to do is to proceed step by step such that liberation may eventually be attained.
我们学佛就是要一步一步地做。既然现在是一个凡夫，不可能在一刹那或一小时内把资粮道全部修完，那就应该逐步去做，一步一步脚踏实地地去走，这样就有办法得到解脱。
Above are some of the reasons stated in the Lankavatara Sutra. How does the Nirvana Sutra deal with this subject?
以上是《楞伽经》里讲的几个理由。那么，在《涅槃经》里又是怎样讲这个问题的呢？
As the Buddha was entering nirvana, he laid down another precept. He said，“When I was propagating the teachings of Sravakayana (early school of Buddhism), eating the three kinds of clean flesh was allowed. But from now on, eating meat of any kind should be banned for practitioners of all schools.” Since then, bhikshus and bhikshunis of Theravada tradition have not been allowed to eat the three kinds of clean flesh either. Notwithstanding, exception is allowed. If someone is gravely ill and, by doctor’s order, he or she must eat meat or else may die. And if this person’death will cost the benefit to sentient beings and the spreading of the Dharma because no other person can give the same teachings, provide guidance and so on, then the patient is allowed to take meat as medicine. At this point, meat is no longer deemed ordinary food.
佛涅槃时，制定了另外一条戒律。佛说:转小乘法轮时开许吃三净肉，而从现在开始，无论大小乘，一律不能吃肉。由此，小乘的比丘（尼）也不允许吃三净肉。当然，这也是有开许的。如果生病时，医生吩咐一定要吃肉，不吃就有可能死亡，而这人的死亡会对众生和佛法有很大的损失，如无人转法轮、无人引导众生等，在这种情况下，可以开许把肉作为药物食用（这时，肉不是食物）。
Clearly, Mahayana disallows meat eating. Not only the three kinds of clean flesh but also all other kinds of meat are forbidden as well, including those from animals that have been killed for human consumption and those died of natural causes. This is the view of the Nirvana Sutra.
所以，在大乘里，不但非三净肉，而且所有的肉，如为了肉食而杀的，或者自然死亡的，一律都不能吃。《涅槃经》中就是这样讲的。
A disciple also asked the Buddha, “How come the three kinds of clean flesh were allowed to eat during the first turning of the wheel of Dharma，but not now?” The Buddha replied, “Precepts are like stairs going up one step at a time. During that time, some people who had the chance and the capacity to learn Buddhism came for the teaching. If asking them not to eat any meat right away, which they were unable to comply, would have created obstacles to their practice.” So, out of compassion, the Buddha initially permitted them to eat the three kinds of clean flesh. Afterwards, through gradual guidance, they were led to quit meat altogether.
那时佛的弟子也问过，为什么一转法轮时开许吃三净肉，现在又不开许了呢？佛就说，戒律像楼梯，是一层层向上而去的。当时有些人有善根和机会进入佛门，如果那时就要求不吃任何肉，他们却做不到，这就会成为他们修法的障碍。所以佛慈悲开许他们吃三净肉，然后通过慢慢地引导，最后是所有的肉都不能吃。
未完待续